IHG Overhauls Chase-Issued Credit Cards: New Names, New Perks, and Higher Annual Fees

IHG and Chase just gave the IHG One Rewards credit card lineup a makeover, and it’s a deeper overhaul than a quick glance might lead you to believe.

If you already carry one of these cards, or you’ve been eyeing one, the updates touch nearly everything: the card names, how you earn points, the benefits you get each year, and yes, what you’ll pay to keep a card in your wallet.

One move stands out from the rest: The renamed IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card gives up its automatic Platinum Elite status and drops to Gold, though a grace period and a spend path soften the blow.

Here’s what’s changing across the 3 existing cards, plus the new arrival worth knowing about.

What’s Changing With IHG’s Co-Branded Credit Cards?

Chase is reworking benefits across 3 familiar IHG credit cards, and two of them are getting new names. Some updates add real value … but others don’t, so read the fine print before making any decisions. The new annual fees won’t take effect until 2027, and Chase says existing cardmembers will be notified in October with the details and timing for each change.

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (Now the IHG One Rewards Credit Card)

The no-annual-fee card keeps its $0 price tag and its up to 17x earning at IHG properties. Earnings change a bit in other categories. You’ll now get 3x points on dining, gas stations, and grocery stores, with grocery a fresh addition to the bonus lineup. Everything else earns 2x.

The bigger update is new: 5 Elite Night Credits every calendar year toward earning IHG status. Automatic Silver Elite status sticks around, and the fourth-night-free benefit now kicks in after you spend $5,000 on the card.

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

This is the card with the most to unpack. On the plus side, you’ll gain up to $100 in annual Food & Beverage Rewards (distributed as up to $25 in credits each quarter, and they expire if you don’t use them) and a $100 annual airline statement credit that works on tickets bought directly from any airline costing over $250. Your points purchase discount jumps from 20% to 30%, the Anniversary Free Night cap climbs to 50,000 points, and you’ll earn 15 Elite Night Credits a year, plus 2 more for every $5,000 you spend.

You also keep up to $50 in annual United TravelBank Cash, paid as 2 deposits of $25 each into your United MileagePlus account (a MileagePlus membership and a one-time registration are required), plus a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application credit of up to $120 every 4 years.

Now for the trade-offs.

The annual fee rises from $99 to $150 in 2027, and earnings at IHG dip from up to 26x to up to 24x. The 5x tier now covers flights booked directly, car rentals, dining, gas stations, and grocery stores, with 3x on everything else. The biggest change is to elite status: Automatic status drops from Platinum Elite to Gold Elite.

It’s not as harsh as it sounds, though. Existing cardmembers keep Platinum through December 31, 2027, and going forward, you can earn Platinum Elite by spending $15,000 in a year or Diamond Elite by spending $40,000. That $15,000 threshold also unlocks 15,000 bonus points and 5 Elite Night Credits, an upgrade from the old $100 credit and 10,000 points at $20,000.

IHG One Rewards Premier Business Card (Now the IHG One Rewards Business Credit Card)

Business owners come out ahead here. This card adds up to $100 in Food & Beverage Rewards (also $25 per quarter), a $100 airline statement credit, and a new statement credit of up to $100 toward Expensify, handy if you already use it to track spending. The Anniversary Free Night cap moves up to 50,000 points, and you’ll earn 15 Elite Night Credits annually, plus 2 more per $5,000 spent.

You’ll also get a Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application credit of up to $120 every 4 years. Unlike the personal IHG Premier card, this one retains up to 26x earnings at IHG properties and automatic Platinum Elite status.

The downside is the annual fee: It jumps from $99 to $200 in 2027, the steepest increase in the group. Cardholders are also losing their annual United TravelBank benefit.

IHG’s New Premium Credit Card

In addition to the updates to the existing card lineup, Chase has rolled out an all-new top-tier option: the IHG One Rewards Premier Select Credit Card. It carries a $350 annual fee, automatic Platinum Elite status, and up to $300 in annual Food & Beverage Rewards (issued as $75 each quarter), among other perks.

Read our comprehensive benefits breakdown and who should consider it here.

Final Thoughts

These updates are a mixed bag, and how you feel about them depends on which card is in your wallet. The business and no-annual-fee cards mostly gain ground, while the IHG Premier card asks you to weigh new credits, a better points discount, and more Elite Night Credits against a higher fee, a lower earning rate, and the drop from automatic Platinum to Gold Elite status. That downgrade is cushioned by the grace period and a spend path back to Platinum, so its bark may be worse than its bite in that regard.

With the annual fee changes landing in 2027 and rich welcome offers available through November 18, now is a good time to run the numbers on whether your IHG card still fits your travel goals.